Electrode holder



March 14, 193.9. A. H. SMITH ELECTRODE HOLDER Filed March 29, 1937 Q IN INVENTOR. A/ber H.4 Sm/'fh ATTORNEY.

Patented Mar. 14,'1'939 uNrrEo STATES PATENT ori-ICE ELECTRODE HOLDER Albert H. Smith, South Gate, Calif.

Application March 29, 1937, Serial No. 133,488

11 Claims.

My invention relates to an electrode holder. An object of the invention is to provide cam means for operating gripping jaw means comprised in the invention.

Another object is to provide in a comparatively small handle compact operative mechanism for the jaw means.

Still another object is to provide a convenient operating lever for said mechanism, which can be operated by the same hand that carries the handle.

A further object resides in providing gripping jaws that may be easily removedfor repair or replacement.

The invention also comprises novel details of construction andnovel combinations and arrangements of parts, which will more fully appear in the course of the following description.

In the drawing, like reference characters designate similar parts in the several Views.

Figure 1 is a side elevation of an embodiment of my invention.

Figure 2 is a longitudinal section through said embodiment.

Figures 3 and 4 are respectively sections taken on the lines 3 3 and 4 4 of Figure 2.

Referring more in detail to the drawing, the

reference number 5 designates a conductive cable;

for conducting electrical current to the device. Insulation 6 is provided' around the.v cable. A iluted, insulating grip is shown at 1. within the grip 'l is an insulating sleeve 8, and concentric within the sleeve is a metal tube 9. The cable 5 is fastened to the rear end of the tube 9 by means of a clamping' plate II) curved to receive the round surface of the cable. A nut and bolt I2 and I3 maintain the clamping plate in position.

Extending from side to side in the tube 9, ahead of the clamping plate, is a pin I4. Grooved to receive the pin I4 is a circular washer I5 of insulating material. Opposed thereto is another washer I6, also of insulating material. A coil spring I'I is disposed between the washers I5 and I6. Surrounding the spring I1 and also arranged between the washers and within the tube 9 is an insulating bushing i8. The bushing i8 is approximately the length of the coil spring I'I when,

same is fully compressed.

The tube 9 is split at i9 to receive a sliding abutment 29, preferably of the same material as, and integral with the washer E16. Arms 2l connect the sliding abutment 20 with a sliding cam Q2. Pins 23 and 24 fasten the arms to the A., Aabutn'ient and to the cam. The arms are re- Concentric cessed, as indicated at 25, to permit longitudinal movement of the arms relative to a transverse pivot pin 26, upon which is pivotally mounted a lever 21. f l

reciprocate.

The openings I9, 29 and 39 are of course alined in superposed relation by reason of such relation of their concomitant parts.

A link in the form of a swinging hook or yoke 3l is mounted on the cam 22, and the front end of the cam is a curved, inclined cam face 32. Pivoted on a spindle 33 is a normally upper jaw 34. A shank 35 of the upper jaw has a curved face 36 to engage the curved face of the cam. The normally upper edge of the shank 35 is notched at 3l to receive the hook or yoke 3l.

The upper jaw proper 38 is faced with a protective, conductive covering 39.

The covering 39 protects three sides of the jaw 38 and an insulating head 40 protects the fourth or normally the top side. Cooperating dents and recesses 4I and 42 in the covering 39 and the jaw 38 respectively maintain the covering in place.

When thin or worn by use, the covering may be replaced. A boss 43 and a screw 44 respectively hold the in sulating head 40 on the jaw 38' and prevent the head from turning thereon. I'he boss ts in a corresponding recess in the jaw 38.

The forward end 45 of the tube 9 is semi-cylinof the lower jaw, respectively.

Insulation for the front end of the tube 9 and the lower jaw consists of an insulating ring having an integral protruding semi-cylindrical covering 5I nesting the lower jaw. A screw 52 maintains the insulation 59 and 5I in place and also passes through both the portion 45 and the iiange 53 on the lower jaw. A screw 60 fastens the grip l on the sleeve of the holder.

in the use of theV device, an

electrode 54 is clasped by the jaws 34 and 46 and held in one of the notches 4l in the lower jaw. is as cllows:

The operation The conductive tube 8 is connected in an electric circuit (not shown) by means of the cable 5. To open the jaws, the handle 28 is pressed toward the body of the holder, in the direction of arrow A of Figure l. This movement of the handle causes its associated lever 21 to move the abutment 20 and washer I6 rearward (to the left in Figure 2). This movement of the abutment and washer compresses the spring i1, and draws the cam rearwardly too, through the intermediary of the arms 2i. Rearward movement of the hook or yoke 3| on the cam draws the hook or yoke from the notch 31, forcing the shank 35 downward, considering the tool in the position shown in Figure 2. The upper j'aw 34 is thereby swung upwardly, releasing the electrode.

I'he upper jaw is closed by releasing the handie 28, which permits the tension placed in the spring I1 to move the washer IB, abutment 20, arms 2| and cam 22 forward. Forward movement of the cam toward the jaws causes the shank face 36 to ride upward on the cam face 32 and causes the hook or yoke to again seat itself in the notch 31. Upward movement of the shank 35 of course causes downward closing movement of the upper jaw (as theyI are shown in Figure 2). It is to be understood that the hook or `yoke 3l seats itself in the notch 31 when the tool is turned with the lever 28 pointing upward (e. g., such as shown in Figures 1 and 2). When the tool is tipped to a position in which the lever 2B points downward and the lever is released, the jaw 38 drops (being pointed downward), thus raising the shank 35 and a1- lowing the hook to fall from its engaged notch 31.

It will be noted that an electrode is `held between the jaws without operation of the handle 28 by the user, and that the electrode may be released by the user employing fingers of the same hand that holds the tool. In each of these operations, therefore, the users other hand is free.

When the covering 39 of the upper jaw becomes worn, it may be replaced in the manner described, and when it is desired to replace the lower jaw, removing the screw 52 will permit the removal of the insulation 50, 5l and removing pin 33 and screws 49 will permit removal of the entire lower jaw.

It will be noted in Figures 3 and 4 the manner in which the surrounding insulation holds the pin 26 and the spindle 33 in place. I prefer to use an insulating material for the abutment 20, to prevent its binding in the slot I9 of the tube 9 by reason of a. metal-tometal contact.

While I have illustrated and described what I now regard as the preferred embodiment of my invention, the construction is, of course, subject to modifications without departing from the spirit of my invention. I, therefore, do not wish to restrict myself to the particular form of construction illustrated and described, but desire to avail myself of all modifications which may fall within the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

l. In an electrode holder, an electrode holding jaw pivoted on the holder, an element movable longitudinally of the holder and arranged to effect pivotal movement of the jaw by its said longitudinal movement, spring means connected to effect movement of said element longitudinal of the holder, and means on the holder arranged to move the element longitudinally thereof against the action of the spring.

2. In an electrode holder, an electrode holding jaw pivoted on the holder, compressible spring mechanism to automatically lock the jaw in a closed position, said mechanism being manually movable to a position in which the jaw is unlocked, and manual means to compress the spring to render it inoperative and to move the mechanism to a position in which the jaw is unlocked.

3. In an electrode holder, an electrode holding jaw pivoted on the holder, a cam movable longitudinally of the holder into driving engagement with the pivoted jaw, and arranged to cause closing movement of the jaw by said driving engagement, and lever means connected to withdraw the cam in a direction away from driving engagement with the pivoted jaw, to unlock the pivoted jaw.

4. In an electrode holder, an electrode holding jaw pivoted on the holder, a cam movable longitudinally of the holder, means connected with the ,pivoted jaw to engage the face of the cam and cause closing movement of the jaw by longitudinal movement of the cam in one direction, lever means connected to withdraw the cam from its jaw closing position, and an element connected with the cam to move the jaw to an open Y position.

. 5. In an electrode holder, an electrode holding jaw pivoted on the holder, a cam movable longitudinally of the holder, means connected with the pivoted jaw to engage the face of the cam and cause closing movement of the jaw by longitudinal movement of the cam in one direction, lever means connected to withdraw the cam from its jaw closing position, and a link pivoted on the cam and engaging said means, to open the jaw by the withdrawing movement of the cam.

6. In an electrode holder, an electrode holding jaw movable on the holder, the jaw having a notched shank, a lever fulcrumed on the holder, means to close the jaw when the lever is released, and a link seated in the notch of the shank when the jaw is closed and connected to open the jaw when the lever is operated to actuate said means in a given direction.

7. In an electrode holder, an electrode holding jaw pivoted on the holder, a cam arranged to move the jaw to a closed position, a lever to withdraw the cam, means connected with the cam to open the jaw upon such cam-withdrawing movement, and spring means arranged to urge the cam to a jaw-locking position and to resist jaw-opening movement of said means.

8. In an electrode holder, an electrode holding jaw movable on the holder, a lever fulcrumed on the holder, an abutment on one side of the lever arranged to be moved by the lever in one direction, spring means arranged to resist said movement and to move the abutment in the opposite direction, a' cam on the opposite side of the lever from the abutment, means connecting the cam and the abutment past the lever, the cam being arranged to move the jaw to a closed position and means connecting the cam and jaw to move it to an open position by a diierent movement of the cam.

9. In an electrode holder, a conductive tube, an electrode holding jaw removably mounted in the tube against relative movement, a jaw pivoted on the first-mentioned jaw, means to move the pivoted jaw to a closing position, and means to move said jaw to an open position, the jaws,

i e,1`o,4e4 upon removal of then` pivotedr connection, l'oe-v lng removable together from the conductive tube,

I the means to move the pivoted jaw to open nd the nivotecl'jaw to a closing position, ond en- Y gage@ hook-and-notoh means to move said jow to en open position, the jaws, upon ieinovnl of their pivoteol oonnectiomloeing emovnble toh getl'ier from the eonrluetivetuhe, the hooi: being 4 arrengedto inllfrom itsengage notch. by' tip- A ping of the holge'igoto disconnect the unit from said jaw-opening means.

l1. In an electrode holde, an electrode lwlding jaw pivotedbn the holder, V'means arranged to loe moved longitudinally of the holder, said 5 means heling connected` to move .said jaw 'plv-l otally, when aotuated,"spng menne disposed 'when eompresseo'to'move said vmeans longitudinelly of the holder in onev direction, and lever means arranged to movethe mst-mentioned 19 means longitudinally of the holder Iin the opp-o pressing the spring means.'

' site direction., the lest mentioned movement oom- 

